Liquid-level indicator.



D. G. DAVIES.

LIQUID LEVEL INDICATOR.

APPLICATION TILED APR.2B,1911.

1,029,598, Patented June '18, 1912.

Attorneys un rnn sTAr s ratrnnronrrcn.

DAVID G. DAVIES, or SPOKANE, wAsHINe'roiv.

To all whom it may concern: r

Be it known that I, DAVID G. DAvlns', a citizen of the United States, residing at Spokane, in. the county of Spokane and State of Washington, have invented a new and useful Liquid-LevelIndicator, of which the followingv is a specification. ,This invention relates to an improvement in liquidlevel indicators, the primary object' of the invention being the provision of a liquid level indicator, whereby the'rise or fall of the liquid in a tank or reservoir, will operate by pressure, either in a direction toward or away, to-make an electrical .connection of varying resistance, according to the distance of such rise or fall, to operate. a calibrated indicator, giving the condition minutely, and simultaneously setting off an alarm.

26 A further object of the present invention is'the employment of aconducting conduit iwhichby .reason of the rise or fall of the water, permits either the action of pressure or vacuum, causedby the pressure of the water. in the'conduit or the suction power of the-water.therein, to operate electrical cirk cuit make'rs, which are graduated through a resistance coil to a calibrated indicator, wherebythe slightest variation in the rise 30 'orlfall is accurately indicated, and an alarm given.

With the foregoing and other objects in view which will appear as the'description .proceeds,.-the invention resides in the combination and arrangement of parts and in the details of construction hereinafter described and claimed, it being understood that changes in the precise embodiment of the invention herein disclosed can be made within 40 the scope-of whatis claimed without departing from the spirit of the invention.-

In -the drawings EFigure 1 is a section view through a portion of a tank or reservoir with the preferred form of the irfvention in operative relation thereto, the electrical circuits being shown in diagram. 'Fig.

.2:i s a similar view showing a modified form of circuit making means. 0 a Referring. to the drawings, and more per- '50 ticularly to Fig. 1,:therof, the reservoir or tank, A, which contains the liquid, has monntedtherein a pipe 2, at'whose lower end is provided the inverted dome 1,- which is provided-with inlet openings at, in its i lower edges, and therefore permitting water or liquid in the reservoir to enter the pipe indicator as shown.v

LIQUID-LEVEL mnrcn'ron.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patfited J 11119 1 8, 1912, Application filed April as, 1911. Seria1 No. 623,840.

2 and seek its level therein. Above the level of theflwater in the pipe 2, and trapped in' the casing 3, by means of the cover 4:, is air, so that any rise of the water Qrliquid-in the reservoir'fwill cause' a corresponding rise in the pipe 2, and produce an increase in the air pressure in the casing 3, which pressure will cause the center of the flexible cover 4 to rise. The spring ,5, normally pulls the center of the cover 4 downwardly, so that the mercury in the cup 6, ,is-normally held out of contact'with the series ofcontact fingers 7, carried by the disk 8, disposed directly above and in line with the'niercury cup ,6. The shortest fingers 7, indicate High watermark, while the longest fingers 7, indicate Low water mark, the

intermediate'fingers 7 ,Vindicatin'g the intermediate levels. It will thus be seen that any rise of the fluid in the reservoir'will produce an air pressure within the chamber or casing 9 raising the flexible cover t and its mercury bowl 6, whose mercury engaging the Low water finger 7-, first will close a circuit herein after described to gradually indicate the riseofthe water, or fluid in the reservoir, until the shortest or "5 High water finger 7', is immersed in the. mercury, during which vtime -the galvanometer or indicator 15, which is of a--low potential, but high resistance, is operated, through the wire 9,- the graduated resistance coil 10, 'wire 11,

dry batteries .12, positive wire 13, and variable resistance 14. The return-is through theneutral wire 16, armature 17 Of the relay 18, and wire-19 to the cover 4 and mercury cup 6. The alarm 20 may also be 7 used, it beingconnected in circuit with the In connection with" the F Low water alarm, it will be necessary to use a local relay circuit 21, in which at low water, the

relay circuit, isopened, the relay magnets are" deenergized, and consequently the alarm circuit closed giving the alarm.' The'apparatus as shown-'in'Fig. 2, is especially adapted 'for low water reservoirs and up-tur-{ned lower end 1, while the upper end the 'tubefor pipe 2', is provided with an is curveddownwardly to provide a vacuum chamber 2", above the top of the reservoir or tank A. The outlet end of the tube'or pipe'terminates in the receptacle 22, which contains mercury, which is .in contactwith the graduated contact fingei's' 7, which as' before describedare carried by the disk 8, to

pressure as in the first instance, the fall ofthe water within the reservoir A,'drawing the air into the tube 2, and downwardly therein, such action causing the mercury Within the receptacle 22, to be drawn within the end of the tube adjacent to the said receptacle, and reducing the level of the mercury in the said receptacle, this action eflecting the contacts 7', in rotation until the indicator indicates Low water. The filling of the reservoir has the reverse effect, causing the mercury to rise and while gradually rising operate the indicator to indicate the rise of the water within the reservoir A, and until the High water is indicated and the shortest finger 7 is contacted by the mercury.

l/Vhat is claimed, is

1. In an apparatus of this character, the

combination with a reservoir containing liquid, a source of electrical energy, andan electrically operated indicator to indicate the fluctuations of the liquid level within the reservoir, of means for actuating said electrically operated indicator through the source of electrical energy, comprising a tube extending above the water level mounted to have liquid rise therein to seek the level of the liquid in the reservoir, a receptacle containing a liquid circuit maker operably connected with the-outer end of said tube, and a series of co-acting contacts adapted to co-act with the liquid circuit maker to operate the indicator.

2. In an apparatus of this character, the combination with a reservoir containing liquid, a source of electrical energy, and an electrically operated indicator to indicate the fluctuations of the liquid level within the reservoir, of means for actuating said indicator by forming electrical circuits, comprising a tube mounted in the reservoir and having an open end to permit the liquid toseek its level in the tube, the upper end of the tube being above the reservoir, a receptacle containing a liquid circuit maker operably connected with the upper end ofthe tube, and a series of, contacts of graduated lengths positioned to co-act with the liquid circuit maker to operate the indicator.

3. In an apparatus of this character, the

ated indicatorto indicate the fluctuations of the liquid levels in the reservoir, of a tube having its lower end open and immersed in the reservoir to permit the liquid in the reservoir to seek its level in the tube, the upper end of said tube extending above and exterior of the reservoir, areceptacle containing a liquid circuit maker operably connected with the upper end of said tube, said liquid being actuated by the fluctuations of the liquid level within the tube, and a series of different length contacts disposed above to co-act with the liquid circuit maker to complete electrical circuits and operate the indicator.

4. In an apparatus of this character, the

combination with areservoir, a source of electrical energy, and an electrically operated indicator to indicate the fluctuations of the liquid levels in the reservoir, a tube having a loweropen end immersed in the liquid of the reservoir and having its upper end projecting above the water level and exteriorly of the reservoir, a liquid circuit maker operably connected to the upper end of said tube and actuated by. the fluctuations of the liquid level of the reservoir through said tube, and a series of graduated contacts disposed above to co-act with the said liquid circuit maker to make electrical circuits to operate the indicator.

5. In an apparatus of this character, the combination with a reservoir, a source of electrical energy, and an electrically operated indicator to indicate the fluctuations of the liquid levels in the reservoir, a tube having a lower open endimmersed in the reservoir and having its upper end. projecting above the reservoir, a reservoir provided with a spring tensioned cover in communication with. the upper end of the tube, a receptable containing a liquid circuit maker carried by said cover, and a series of con tacts adapted to co-act with the liquid circuit maker to form electrical circuits to operate the indicator.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own, I have hereto aflixed my signature in the presence of two witnesses.

DAVID-G. DAVIES. WVit'nesses f -GUSTAV A. SIPES, ALFRED P. BUNT. 

